Sewing-machine.



A. R. SCHOENKY.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8. 1913.

3 SHEETS-SnEET I- lfiw fiwa Patented De0.19,1916.

/ r kmm giflm 6 qi C; F @W m w} a? Ad A. R. SCHOENKY. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-8,19I3.

' Patented Dec. 19,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. R. SCHOEN'KY.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 8, 1913.

1,209,340. mmd De0.19,1916x 3 SHEETSQSHEET 3.

QOMHML' of the ordinary thread auous'r a. scnonimr, or

trams.

PA. ENT hfll ll llfjlrl.

mum.

SUM'EEEI'K YILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEREECE 550E E'AGEINEEY COMPANY, QF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF sacrum-Macrame.

Patented Dec. 19, 11916,

.ipplication filed November 8, 1913'. Serial No. 799,?l'i'3.

TooZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST R. Sonommr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SeW-' ing-dachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and is, for convenience, illustrated in connection with a sewing machine of the class used in the manufacture of shoes by the Welt system, wherein the outsole and wait are sewed together. That class of machine having been already known and illustrated in prior applications and patents, for example, in my prior application, Serial Number (89.624, filed September 13, 1913, it will be unnecessary herein to fully describe all portions of the machine.

An object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of sewing machines sons to give greater convenience and better efficiency.

Another object hereof is to atforda device operable at will, which may be employed by the operator after the machine has been brought to a stop for effecting 'a release of the thread clamp, that is, in the pr esent class of machine, the device which per odically loo 5 the under thread during the formation of each stitch. Heretofore. it has been customary in such machines to bring the same to a stop at that point in the cycle of operations where a stitch has been com pleted and set, and to thereupon by hand reverse the mechanism, for example, by a hand wheel on the driving shaft, sufficiently to bring the parts to a position where the thread clamp is open, the thread clamp being naturally closed at the completion of the setting of the stitch; this reverse movement of the shaft also leaves both the needle and the awl disengaged from the work so that the operator may thereupon remove the Work from the machine unhindered either by the needle, the awl or the closed condition of the thread clamp. By the present improvement this reverse movement is dispensed with and the thread clamp is opened by a means acting independently clamp operations. Another obgect hereof is to aficrd a device ings.

Fig. 1.

which, when operated at will, gives the com.

bined results of unlocking the presser-foot from its'position pressing upon the work and of opening the thread clamp, as above stated, and more particularly, to afford a part, such as a treadle, ivl1ich,When actuated, effects not merely an unlocking, if the Presser-foot be locked, but also a lifting of the resser-foot from the Work and. in addition, an opening of the thread clamp; so o that the operator, upon the stopping of the machine, has merely the single step to perform of depressing the treadle to enable him to draw the work. and a portion of under thread from the machine.

Other objects hereof will be set forth in the hereinafter following description.

To the attainment of the several objects and advantages above referred to, the present invention consists in the novel combinations, arrangements, devices and parts set forth, described and illustrated in the following description and accompanying draw- First will be suiiiciently described one form of machine embodying the present improvements, and thereafter the novel features Will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsforming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a left-hand elevation, corresponding to Fig. 11 of said prior applicatiomof the upper portion of a sole sewing machine embodying the present in vention, the post 1 being supposed to extend to a base at the floor where the treadles should be also located. Fig. 2 is a righthand elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 3 is a skeleton front view showing portions of the thread mechanism and the particular devices comprised in the, present invention. Fig. 4 shows in righthand elevation certain parts detached from Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on plane 5-5 of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a section on the plane 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. v7 is a right-hand elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in a different stage or position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail in right-hand elevation. Figs. 9- and 10 are -similar views showing the parts in different stages of operation.

The same reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. I Extending upwardly from any convenient base is the post 1 supporting at its upper 110 end the head or casting 2, affording sup-, port for various of the machine parts. The main shaft 3 extends. from left to right in the upper part of the machine. the shaft 3 are cam disks for the difi'erent' operations of the mechanism including the cam disk 7, shown in Figs. 2 and 7, and cam disk 8, shown in Fig. l. A. shuttle case 10 is indicated in the usual location, it being for containing the shuttle which contains the bobbin, held in place and operated usual.

Among the active instrumentalities in the machine are: work support 21 at the front, presser-foot 23 above the work support, awl and fittings therefor beneath the work, needle 25 above the work, needle guide, thread, loopers and hooks, take-up 30, main take-up 31, and the thread clamp "or arm 32. The various trains of mechanism and cam grooves for these instruments will not be described excepting so far as necessary to disclose the present improvement. The cam disk 7 at its righthand side contains cam or groove 36 for antomatically operating the presser-foot during each stitch, imposing an extra pressure upon it and releasing it, and a groove 135 which serves to intermittently open and close the thread clamp 32 by swinging the arm thereof from and toward the opposing clamp member.

The feeding of the work may be efi'ected by means of the awl which is shifted while engaged in the Work and returned after disengagement, there being a guide 4A in which feed slide 45 moves, carrying the awl post 46 in its to-and-fro movements, and a handle 54: serving for adjusting the amount of feed for each stitch.

The presser-foot 23 is at. the forward end of an arm swinging abouta fixed stud and having one rear extension 68 rigid with the arm, and a second rear extension 69, spring-connected therewith. Extending downwardly from arm 68 is link 71 connected at its lower end to arm 72, secured on a short longitudinal shaft 73, which.

shaft has a'pin at its upper side acted upon by spring 75, which pulls so as to normally keep the- Presser-foot with moderate pressure upon the work. This moderate pres- I sure is in effect excepting when increased by the automatic mechanism ,or when the presser foot is independently lifted. The Presser-foot automatic operation may be effected through rack 76 on arm 69 engaged by dog 7 7, and similar rack 78 on arm 68 engaged by triple dog 79. Springs 80 and 81 press the dogs against the racks. The presser-foot operating lever 82, which is pivoted at the rear, has a stud 83 engaging cam 36, and its forward end supports the dog 77 and spring 80. The arm 82 also has heel 84, shaped to kick Carried on and auxiliary or resilient and thereby disengage the triple dog 79 whenthe arm de scends, at which time the dog 77 is also dis engaged bya fixed pin 85. The operation of such mechanism is that when cam 36 forces arm 82 downward it serves, as described, to release the presser-foot from heavy pressure, this being effected automati 'cally during each stitch at the proper time to permit the work to be fed forward by the awl between the work'support and presser 1 foot, after which the arm 82, lifted by the cam, causes the reengagement of the dogs so as to put the presser-foot under heavy clamping pressure and lock it thus during the action of needle and awl. In this locking action the dog 77 acts first to apply heavy spring presser-foot. and then through arm 68 positivelylocks the presserfoot in its depressed position. To enable the presser-foot to be lifted at will, a treadle, not shown, may be employed, this being connected by a treadle rod 86 which may be depressed at willor, in some cases, automatically, upon the stoppage of the machine. The rod 86 has at its upper end a head 87 with a lateral projection 88 adapted to contact with a stud 74 projecting 73 is toothed. plate 89, which extends forthrough arm 69' pressure upon the the dog '49 acting wardly and is connected to the upper end of the treadle rod, thus giving the latter support and guidance, and being swung by it. A second toothed plate 90, arranged loosely on the stud carrying the dog 79, has. a small number of teeth engaging the teeth on plate 89 in such manner that, when the treadle rod is depressed, the plate 89 first causes the plate 90 to rotate a short extent, whereupon the teeth become disengaged and the continued downward movement of the treadle rod merely elevates the presser-foot. The plate 90 is shaped and constructed to cause the disengagement of the dogs 77, 79, when rotated clockwise, for example, by laterally extending pins'93 and 91 on the dogs. The pins on the dogs, and the mem bers 89 and 90 cobperating'with them, and the operation of these parts, are illustrated and explained -in my prior patent No. 1,171,466, granted February 15, 1916. Such described mechanism may operate as fol-' lows: The projection 88 on the treadle rod head is spaced above the arm 72. The first pedal efiects the following operations: First,

the parts 89, 90 are shifted to the Fig. 9 position. The plate 90 has come into pos1 tion where it is about ready to contact and actuate the pins 93 and 91 on the respective dogs. The further movement carries the parts to the Fig. 10 position which is like Fig. 7. The plate 90 has actedupon the pins of the dogs and has removed both the dogs from their respective racks; Subsequent depression of the pedal has no further elfect on the plate 90, which, as will be clear 'from Figs. 10 and 7, is locked against further movement.

A machine of theclass referred to is supposed to have a stop mechanism, but as any type of stop mechanism might be. employed, the same, for convenience, is omitted herefrom, it being understood that'the present improvements come into operation after the machine has been brought to a stop at the completion of the formation and setting of a stitch. Patent No. 1,035,093. issued Jan. 20th, 1914 shows an available stop motion.

The under thread mechanism is seen in Fig 1 in left-hand view, in Figs. 2 and 7 in right-hand view and in. Fig. 3 in skeleton front view. The so-called auxiliary take-up 30 is in the nature of a thread cushion serving to pull and relax a portion 0:" the under thread between the thread clamp and the take-up. This member 30 is preferably rendered resilient. by a spring, and it moves between stops. The under thread mechanism illustrated is particularly adaptable for lock stitch sewing machines, having stitching means serving for engaging upper and under threads with each other and with the work. Reference has been made to the intermittently operating thread clamp 32 and the reciprocating take-up 31 between the clamp and the sewing point. In addition thereto, a tension device 118 may be employed between the threadclamp and the supply of under thread, whichmay be drawn from a wax pot, also a reciprocating thread measure 119 between the clamp and the tension, and automatic mechanism for harmoniously opcratingthe clamp, the takeup and the measure in a previously known manner for the formation of each succes;

sive stitch. There may be a preliminary tension 120 above the wax pot. The course of thethread may be as follows: From the wax pot it passes to the preliminary tension 1. -0, to the main tension 118, to the wheel of the thread measuring device or measure 119,. between the members and partly around one of the members of the thread clamp 32-, to the wheel of the auxiliary take-up 30, to the wheel of the main take-up 31 and thence to the sewing point where are located the instruments for forming thread loops, pulling them through. the work and interlocking them with loops of upper thread. The operation may be that, during each descending or take-up movement ofthe arm 31., the clamp 39; becomes closed, so that the stitch is properly set in the work and, while the clamp is closed, the thread measure rises the proper amount to draw a new supply of thread from the" tension devices. After the thread has been so measured andbefore the succeeding takeup movement, the clamp 32 opens and the measured thread is drawn through the clamp before it again closes, previous to the setting of the-next stitch.

The take-up 31 is fixed on transverse shaft 124, which extends through to the righthand side of the machine, where at its extremity it is provided with a second arm 1125 connected by a link 126 (see Fig. 3) with a cam lever not shown, operated from one of the cams on the main shaft 3, so that the shafts rotation-causes the take-up to reciprocate.

adjustable link 132 with the lower end of a cam lever 133, which, in turn, is provided with a stud 134 at its upper end engaging cam groove 135 in the cam disk 7. By this arrangement the eccentric portions of the cam oscillate the." lever and arms so as to open and close the clamp 32.

The thread measure 119 is at the right hand end of a si iort shaft'138 having suit, able bearings including bracket 139, and the shaft is oscillated through arm 140 projecting upwardly from itand having a stud 1&1 projecting into a groove 142 of an adjustable oscillating link 143. The link at its lower end is pivoted to the outer end of arm 144-. The forward and backward swinging movements of the link are effect-- ed by connecting rod 14:5 pivoted to the link, and at its rear pivoted to the downwardly. extending arm of a cam lever 1&7

whose other arm carries a stud engaging a cam groove 1&8 at the left face of a small cam disk 43 on the main shaft. The'shafts movements, but swinging arm 144 down-- ward gives proportionately increasing thread measure movements,

and this ad j ustment may, for convenience, be controlled from some member such as the presser-foot, whose position varies with the thickness of the work, so that the amount of thread allowed for each stitch depends on alt works thickness. The connections from arm 144 to the presser-foot may include the shaft 73. already mentioned, the arm 72, the link 71, etc., and there maybe an adjusting device 154 between the arm and the link, as described and claimed in said prior application.

The operation of the machine may be fur-' ther described as follows: The under thread on being drawn through the work is to be passed around the shuttle. As it passes the high point of the shuttle the auxiliary takeup will be at its highest point, the thread clamp at its low point or open, and the take-up at its high point, preferably the thread measure has moved completely up and is in the act of returning, the shuttle continuing its rotation, the take-up descends, causing the auxiliary take-up to be pulled to its low position and, at the same time, drawing the newly measured thread from the thread measure. After the thread meas me has reached. its lowest position, the thread clamp closes and the take-up con tinues its descent, slowing in speed toward the enfd"of its motion until the stitch is completely set. hen the machine is stopped, the parts are in this stage of operation, and the drawings so represent them. 'Thereafter, upon starting the machine, the' take-up ascends a slight distance and remains sta tionary, the auxiliary takeup ascending nearly to its high position, imposing a tension on the thread. During this period the stitching mechanism operates to form a loop of under thread and place it upon the hook of the needle which rises through the work. During the same period, the clamp being closed, the thread measure moves upward for measuring further thread, after which it will descend as before described. \Vhcn it reaches its high position, the thread clamp opens and thereafter the take-up resumes its ascent to high position. During the first part of this ascent of the take-up, the under thread is pulled through the work by the ing the thread clamp. It will be understood that a stopping means isto be comprised with said driving means adapted to stop the machine with the thread clamp closed and also with the needle disengaged from the work, namely, at the point in the cycle when the stitch has been compeleted and properly set in the work. To open the thread clamp at will a lever or treadle device may be employed connected by the before mentioned treadle rod 86 with themechanism for accomplishing the purpose stated. his preferred to interpose in the connections between the driving shaft and the thread clamp the means for'at will opening the clamp independently of the motion of the driving shaft. Thus, the link 132, pushing and pulling on the'arm 131, normally acts through shaft 124 during each stitchto close and open the thread clamp. 'Herein there is shown interposed between the link and the arm a device enabling the arm to be swung independently of the driving shaft control, thereby permitting the opening of the clamp. For convenience, this connection, as shown, is a stud-and-slot connection. Commencing with the treadle rod 86, the train of mechanism may be described as follows; The rod is provided with a lateral extension 160 carrying at its extremity a roller 161, which is adapted to contact with the upper side of and to depress an L-shaped extension 162 of the link 1332. -Thereby tlie'depression of the treadle causes thelink to swing down ward.

The connectionbetween the link and the arm 131 comprises ablock 163. shown in detail in Figs. 4', 5, and 6, this block being connected by pivot 164 with the link 132, sothat the'block slides up and down within the slot shown at 165 in the arm whenever the t'readle causes the link to move up and down. A spring 166 is shown tending to hold the block 163 in its upward or normal position and the lower end of the spring is accommodated in a barrel 167, permitt ng a. longer and more eli'icient spring. In the normal operation'of the machine the spring sufiiciently holds the block in its topmost position, and it would not depart from that position. 'hen, however, the machine has been brought to rest in the position shown,

its

mas er) I the treadle may be employed for causing the depression of the link 132 and the block 163. In causing this depression the link swings about a center located at the lower end of the cam. arm 133.- It will be noted that the slot 165 is not concentric with the links swinging movement and, therefore, the slot is in effect a cam cooperating with the block to cause a relative lateral movement when the link is swung. The lower end of the slot 165 is farther from the links center of swinging than is the upper end of the slot, and, therefore, the pulling down of the link will cause the arm 131 to swing to the rear. In normal operation the link 132 is pulled to swing the arm 131 to the rear to open the thread clamp at each stitch. When the machine is not running and the treadle is depressed, the connections described cause the arm similarly to swing to the rear, and thereby the thread clamp is opened at will. There has, therefore, been described a device operable at will for causing the opening of the thread clamp. It will be noted that the depression of the treadle rod accomplishes more than the mere opening of the'thread clamp. It eiiects the release of the vpresser-toot as well. Even though the thread clamp were open and the work free from needle engagement, the work could not be drawn out of the machine properly if forcibly clamped under the Presser-foot. This difficulty, however, is obviated by the already described mechanism wherebythe depression of the treadle rod, acting through the toothed plate devices shown in Fig. 8, ca-ses the disengagement of the dogs 77 and 79 so as to relieve the presser-foot of its heavy compression. Moreover, the depression of the treadie rod does more than open the thread clamp and re lease the resser-foot, and, as shown herein, it also e'li'ects the a tual lifting of the presser-foot to its elevated position. It, will be understood that in the normal action of the machine the presser-foot may vary in position. owing to variations in work thickness, but it may be opened to a maximum extent more elevated than in normal position, so as to disengage the work'which the operator will have in hand at the time of depressing the treadle. This lifting of the Presser-foot is effected by the hereinbelow described connections including the lug 88, seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 8, which is carried at the top of the treadle rod and serves, upon the descent of the'latter, after the dogs are released, to press downwardly upon the arm 72, thus depressing the link 71 and lifting the Presser-foot in the manner previously described. Y

While the improvements above described are herein claimed broadly in connection with'sewing machines, they have been par" ticularly evolved and are especially useful )rincinles of the resent im rovernents and l i attaining the objects and advantages thereof, and other advantages which will be ap parent to those skilled in the art. Since many matters of detail, arrangement, combination, and other features may be modified indefinitely without departmg from the broad principles involved, no limitation to such features is intended excepting as set forth in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

i. In a sewing machine adapted to be stopped with the stitch completed and thread clamp closed, the combination of a presser foot, stitching mechanism, operating mechanism, an automatic thread clamp comprising a movable thread clamping part shifted by connections from said. operating mechanism during the formation of each stitch, said connections including a link engaging and actuating an arm, a contrivance intermediate said link and arm permitting relative movement when said operating mechanism is idle, a movable device operable at will as a treadle adapted when shitted work, and connections between said device and said contrivance whereby the release of the thread is effected in the same operative shifting movement of said device by which the presser foot is disengaged.

2. In a. sewing machine the combination of a. presser-i'oot, stitching mechanism, a thread clamp opened and closed in forming each stitch, a take-up for taking up the thread of each stitch, means for applying the presser-foot to the work, intermittent means for applying heavy pressure to the presser-foot during each stitch and for locking the presser-foot under such heavy pres sure and releasing it during each stitch,

mechanism for actuating such elements in harmony, the same adapted to be stopped with the stitch completed, the thread clamp closed and the presser-foot locked under heavy pressure against the work, and a device operable at ill as a treadle having connections adapted in one operative movement to effect the unlocking of the presserfoot and the opening of the thread clamp:

3. in a sewing machine-the combination of a presser-foot, stitching mechanism, a thread clamp opened and closed in forming each stitch, a take-up for taking up the thread of each StliZClI,'IHQEIIIS for applying the presser-foot to the work, an intermittent der such heavy pressure and releasing it durmg each stitch, mechanism for actuating such. elements 1n harmony, the same adapted to he stopped with the stitch completed, the

thread clamp closed and the resser-foot locked, and a device operable at will as a treadle having connections adapted in one operative movement to efieot the unlocking of the resser-foot, the opening of the thread clamp, and the lifting of the presserfoot from the 'WOIk.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST R. SCHOENKY. Witnesses:

FRANK L. CADY, FRANCIS A. SHEA. 

